Takeaways Begin Early for Tremaine Edmunds
It was the play of the day even in a practice when DJ Moore caught several big passes from Justin Fields.
At the end of practice, Bears linebacker Tremaine Edmunds intercepted a pass and took it back down the left sidelines for a touchdown as he was mobbed by teammates.
It's exactly the kind of thing the Bears had in mind when they put a 6-foot-5, 252-pound linebacker in the middle a year after he was rated No. 1 among all NFL linebackers at defending the pass.
"I'm excited. I'm excited," Edmunds said. "Just because I feel like I'm going to be in a position to make a lot of plays."
This Tampa-2 Bears defensive scheme works for a rangy middle linebacker. Just ask Brian Urlacher.
Matt Eberflus is having an impact on the former Bills linebacker.
"Obviously, just because of his background on defense, he has a great understanding of it," Edmunds said. "Just putting guys in position. As a player that's all you can really ask for is to be in a position and now it's up to me to go make the play. So I'm just excited about what's to come, just by going through it every day, obviously, it's just a stepping stool."
The pick was only one thing of note on this second OTA and first for media viewing.
Filling In
With guard Nate Davis among those with unexplained absences at the voluntary workout, it meant someone had to fill in at right guard. The Bears are using Teven Jenkins at left guard this year,
instead of right guard where he played last year. So the sub for Davis with starters was backup center Lucas Patrick.
Bears fans barely saw Patrick last year when he slated to start at center because he suffered thumb and toe injuries. The toe injury ended his season after seven games. His versatility is a huge plus says Eberflus.
"Well the experience that you have somebody inside that can move from guard to center, center to guard on both sides, you know to have a guy like that that has that it's easy for him to do that," Eberflus said. "As we know during the course of the season there's going to be guys in different combinations cause there is going to be injury and we have to deal with that. To have a guy that has that experience it's certainiley valuable."
Center of Attention
Cody Whitehair's return to center seems to be going the way the Bears expected. After all, Whitehair was a Pro Bowl center via the back door as a replacement. Then he became a guard.
"It’'s been good," Eberflus said. "Cody's got a wealth of experience. He's played the position before, so it's not a stretch for him to be in there. But I think he feels more comfortable in there. I think anytime you go from guard and moving back to center, I think it just takes some time. But he’s doing a nice job."
Lining Up
Plenty of first-team snaps for second-year defensive end Dominique Robinson. He and DeMarcus Walker lined up with the starters in the first set. Trevis Gipson saw time later in rotation. Robinson has plenty to prove with 1 1/2 sacks last year in the opener and no more the rest of the year. ... Elijah Hicks took over at safety with starter with Eddie Jackson still sidelined presumably due to the Lisfranc injury he suffered last year that was said then not to require surgery.
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